King Henry Vii

Bacon's History of King Henry VII. Compliment or Honouring Blood-line?

Arthur Innes, in his Introductory to King Henry VII., 1 offers a quotation from Bacon’s History of King Henry VII: “This King, to speak of him in terms equal to his deserving, was one of the best sort of wonders, a wonder for wise men.” Innes then goes on to say: “In those words Francis Bacon summed up Henry VII., a hundred years after the first Tudor King had been laid in his grave. Bacon’s history still is, and is likely to remain, the classic narrative. Not that he was a contemporary, or that he had access to any extraordinary sources of information; but because being at once a practical politician, a student of political theory, and a literary artist, any historical work from his pen could hardly have failed to be of the highest interest, and the subject he actually chose was to him, peculiarly sympathetic. It is in fact quite evident that Henry was held in the very highest estimation by his biographer. The history is addressed to Prince Charles, and it can hardly be doubted that in calling his hero “the English Solomon,” Bacon had in mind the reigning King’s description as the “Scottish Solomon”; the direct suggestion of a parallel (repeated in other terms in the Preface) must have been meant to be looked upon as a compliment by James.”

It is stated in the records of the times that Bacon’s History of Henry VII., was probably begun in June, 1621, soon after Bacon’s release from the Tower, and presented to King James in the following October. A history of England from the Wars of the Roses to the Union of the two Kingdoms, had been noted in the Advancement of Learning as deficient; and a fragment, of doubtful date, but previous to 1609, shows that Bacon had previously intended to supply this deficiency. The character of Henry VII., given in that earlier fragment goes far to disprove the notion that now in 1621 Bacon idealised that monarch in order to gratify the reigning King.

Bacon’s History of Henry VII., was so much admired that Prince Charles immediately requested him to write also a history of Henry VIII. Bacon promised to do so.

Accordingly, in January 1623, he applied to the proper authorities for the loan of such documents as might be in the public archives relating to that monarch’s reign. The application was formally granted.

At this time, Bacon appears to have been actually at work in real or apparent fulfillment of his undertaking, for under the date of February 10, Chamberlain writes: “Lord [Bacon] busies himself about books, and hath set out two lately Historia Ventorum and De Vita et Morte, with promises of more. I have not seen either of them because I have not leisure; but if the life of Henry VIII., which they say he is about, might come out after his own manner, I should find time and means enough to read it.”

A few days later (February 21), Bacon himself writes to Buckingham, who had gone to Spain with Prince Charles, asking to be remembered to the Prince, “who, I hope ere long, will make me leave King Henry VIII., and set me on work in relation to his Highnesses heroical adventures.”

The next reference to the subject is also in one of Bacon’s own letters. Acknowledging the receipt of a communication from Toby Matthew, June 26, 1623 he says: “Since you say the Prince hath not forgot his commandment touching my history of Henry VIII., I may not forget my duty. But I find Sir Collier, who poured forth what he had in my other work, somewhat dainty of his materials in this.” It appears, however, that notwithstanding all these repeated implications to the effect that he was engaged upon a history of Henry VIII., he was actually doing no such thing. He did, indeed, make a beginning; he gathered materials; he dictated one morning about two pages; and then he wrote to the Prince, apologizing for not going on with the work and for dropping it altogether. But did he drop it? Did he prepare it entirely for the First Folio publication?

From whose pen came those wonderful panegyrics of Queen Elizabeth and King James that were printed six months afterward in the drama of Henry VIII., and that can be exactly paralleled in the Advancement of Learning and the In felicem Memoriam Elizabethœ?

Those heart-breaking lamentations over fallen greatness, such as Bacon must have still been uttering in private over his downfall in 1621?

Those entrancing visions of peace and plenty, of honor and gladness for the English people, characteristic of one in whom forgiveness of injuries was a cardinal virtue, and love of mankind an absorbing passion? In Bacon’s History of Henry VII., he tells us “I have though in a despised weed procured the good of all men.” 2 Bacon himself also tells us that a weed is a cloak to hide a man’s identity: “This fellow, when Perkin took sanctuary, chose rather to take a holy habit than a holy place, and clad himself like a hermit and in that weed wandered about the country, till he was discovered and taken.”

Grave moments

In Bacon’s Life of Henry VII., (1622) on pages 247 and 248, there appears as the concluding sentence an epitaph upon that King.

In the Second Folio of Shakespeare, published in 1632, appears the “epitaph on the Admirable Dramatick Poet, Mr. William Shakespeare.”

Both passages have, as their author’s last thought, and as their closing line, the reflection that a man is more richly sepulchred in a written monument of his fame, than in any material tomb, however sumptuous or even regal it may be.

The idea comes from Horace’s: “Exegi monumentum aere perennius,” and therefore familiar to a scholar with a fine ear for rhythm and swing. Such learning was common enough among the courtiers of “King Elizabeth,” and the example of George Buchanan had kept it alive in the reign of Scotch “Jamie.”

• Here is the Epitaph on the admirable dramatic poet Mr. William Shakespeare from the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Folios:

What needs my Shakespeare for
His Hallowed Bones?
A pyramid of earth in piled stones,
Or that his mortal relics should be hid
Beneath some starre-y-pointing pyramid?
Dear Son of Memory, great Heir of Fame
Why needs the world such witness of thy Name?
Thou in our wonder and astonishment
Hast built thyself a lasting monument,
And so sepulchred in such state dost lie,
That Kings for such a tomb would wish to die.

• Here is the Epitaph of Bacon’s conclusion of the Life of Henry VII., (1622) on pages 247 and 248:

He lyeth buried at Westminster in one of the Statelyest and Daintiest Monuments of Europe both for the Chappell, and for the Sepulcher. So that he dwelleth more richly Dead in the Monument of his Tomb than he did Alive in Richmond or any of his Palaces. I could wish he did the like, in this Monument of his Fame.

Bacon’s Dedicated Epistle: 3

To The Most Illustrious and Most Excellent
Prince Charles, Prince Of Wales,
Duke Of Cornwall, Earl Of Chester, etc.

It May Please Your Highness,
In part of my acknowledgment to your Highness, I have endeavoured to do honour to the memory of the last King of England, that was ancestor 4 to the King your father and yourself; and was that King to whom both unions 5 may in a sort refer: that of the roses being in him consummate, and that of the kingdoms by him begun: besides, his times deserve it. For he was a wise man, and an excellent King; and yet the times were rough, and full of mutations, and rare accidents. And it is with times, as it is with ways: Some are more up-hill and down hill, and some are more flat and plain; and the one is better for the liver, 6 and the other for the writer.

I have not flattered him, but took him to life as well as I could, sitting so far off, and having no better light. It is true, your Highness hath a living pattern, incomparable, 7 of the King your father: But it is not amiss for you also to see one of these ancient pieces. 8

God preserve your Highness.
Your Highness’s most humble and devoted servant.
Francis St. Alban. 9